Engine-starter.



V, BENMX.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION man JUHE18, 1911.

Pammed Dec. 24-, 1918.

/ iEifiE;

- 1,125,935, dated January movement therewith. The power VINCENT IBENDIX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Application filed J'un'e 18, 1917. Serial No. 175,432.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, VINCENT Bnnmx, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of en gine starter exemplified in patents heretofore issued to me, for instance, Patent No. 26, 1915,,and No. 1,172,864, dated February 22,1916, which starter is characterized by a prime mover, such as an electric motor, and a transmission or drive operating on the screw shaft principle for transmitting the power of the motor to be started, such as the fly-wheel thereof. p

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, eflicient and reliable transmisslon or drive of the general character described, designed for double reduction, that is, for indirect driving between the armature shaft of the motor and the screw-shaft of the drive.

In the drawing the figure is a sectional elevation of a transmission or drive embodying my invention.

Referring to the selected embodiment of my invention as here illustrated, the electric motor indicated at A has an armature shaft 1 to whose outer end is secured a driving wheel pinion 2 meshing with a driving wheel or gear 3 suitably secured, as by means of a key, to the driving shaft flrfOf the drive or transmission.

The armature shaft passes through a plate or bracket 5 which forms the bearing for the inner end of said driving shaft, the outer end thereof having bearings in a casing 6 inclosing the working parts of the drive. This driving shaft is a plain shaft throughout with the exception of its enlarged cylindrical portion 4 adjacent the gear 3. Upon the outer end portion of the driving shaft is mounted a hollow screw shaft 7 having both a longitudinal and rotary movement with respect to the driving shaft and also a rotary of the electric motor is transmitted to the driving shaft 4 through the pinion@ and gear 3 and is transmitted from such driving shaft to the screw shaft by a driving means which is here in the form of a yielding driving connection consisting ofa coiled spring 8 anchored at one end to the enlargement 4? of the driving shaft by means of the stud or against the tension of the spring 8, which movement tends to expand such spring.

The driving shaft has a rotary movement only and is held against longitudinal movement (when the screw shaft moves longitudinally) by suitable means such as the shouldered end/1? abutting the shaft bearing in the casing 6.

Upon the screw shaft is screw-threaded the driving member which is here in the form of a pinion 12 adapted to mesh with a member of the engine to be started, such as the teeth 13 of the fly-wheel l3.

Describing the operation and starting with the parts in. the position shown, when the electric motor is operated the power will be transmitted from the armature shaft through the pinion 2, gear 8, shaft 4 and spring 8 to the screw shaft, with the result that the pinion 12 will be advanced longitudinally of the shaft and into mesh with the fly-wheel teeth. When the pinion is in full mesh and abutting the head 7 acting as a stop, itwill partake of the rotary movements of such shaft and will rotate the flywheel. When the engine starts on its own power the pinion 12 will be automatically demeshed and returned to normal position.

In the event that the pinion teeth should abut the fly-wheelteethend to end and the pinion should thereby be momentarily stopped, the screw shaft will yield longitudinally by moving slightly to the right, which action such shaft will slide on the driving shaft and its head '7 will be separated from the shoulder 4 formed on the shaft is normally held with a yielding pressure by means of the driving spring 8'.

This longitudinal movement of the screw shaft is permitted by the provision of the clearance space 11 and tends to expand the spring 8, which will restore the screw shaft to its normal position when meshing takes place. This momentary stopping of the pinion 12 causes a slight rotation thereof,

with'the result that the teeth will be brought into register and proper meshing thereby obtained.

I claim: 1. In combination witha driving shaft, a

driven gear secured thereto, a screw shaft in driven gear secured thereto, a screw shaft.

in the form of a sleeve mounted on the outer end of the driving shaft, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and a yielding driving means associated with the inner end of the driving shaft and connecting between the two shafts and located between the gear and the inner end of the screw shaft.

3. In combination with a driving shaft, a driven gear secured thereto, a screw shaft in the form of a'sleeve mounted on the outer end of the driving shaft for longitudinal and rotary movement thereon and rotary movement therewith, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and. rotary movement therewith, and a yielding driving means associated with the inner end of the driving shaft and connecting between the two shafts and located between the gear and screw shaft, said means being arranged to permit of said longitudinal movement of the screw shaft.

4. In combination with a driving shaft, a driven gear secured thereto, a screw shaft in the form of a sleeve mounted on the outer end of the driving shaft, a driving member.

mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith,

with the inner end of the driving shaft located between the gear and screw shaft. 5. In combination with a driving shaft having an enlarged portion forming an an nular shoulder, a driven gear secured to such shaft, a screwshaft in the form of a sleeve mounted on thedriving shaft and normally and a driving spring associated and connecting-between the two shafts and abutting said shoulder, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and a yielding driving connection between the two shafts.

6. In combination with a driving shaft having an enlarged portion forming an annular shoulder, a driven gear secured to such shaft, a screwshaft in the form of a sleeve mounted on the driving shaft and normally abutting said shoulder, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and a yielding driving connection between the two shafts in the form of a spring encircling said enlarged portion and anchored at its ends to the two shafts respectively.

7. In combination with a driving shaft having an enlarged portion forming an annular shoulder, a driven gear secured to such shaft, a screw shaft in the form of a sleeve mounted on the driving shaft and normally abutting said shoulder, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and a yielding driving connection between the two shafts in the form of a spring encircling said enlarged portion and anchored at its ends to the two shafts respectively,said screwshaft being capable of longitudinal movement on the driving shaft and away from said shoulder and against the tension of the spring.

-.8. In combination with a driving shaft having an enlarged portion forming an annular shoulder, a driven gear secured to such shaft, a screw shaft in the form of a sleeve mounted on the driving shaft and normally abutting said shoulder, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, and a yielding driving connection between the two shafts in the form of a coiled spring encircling said enlarged portion and anchored at itsends to the two shafts respectively, said screw shaft being gear against which portion the screw shaft abuts. I

10." In combination with a driving shaft, a

driven gear secured thereto, a screw-shaft in the form of a sleeve mounted on the outer end of the driving shaft for longitudinal and rotary movement thereon and rotary movement therewith, a driving member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and I'Otfll) movement therewith, means for preventing longitudinal movement of the driving shaft when the screw shaft moves longitudinally, and a yielding driving means associated with the 10 inner end of the driving shaft and connecting between the two shafts and located between the gear and screw shaft.

' VINCENT BENDIX. 

